Football’s recruiting speed dating: Why traditionalists are up in arms over Hawthorn’s Allen hunt

If you didn’t know what Oscar Allen was fronting up for, you’d think he was confessing to a crime. SCOTT GULLAN writes, Hawthorn’s pursuit is the newest wrinkle in a changing landscape.

Oscar Allen looked like how Wayne Carey did during his infamous North Melbourne departure press conference.

On the verge of tears with a blank look on his face, if you didn’t know what he was addressing you’d be convinced he’d just confessed to a string of serious offences and was about to walk into the court to find out how long he’d be in the clink.

Allen was doing a confessional of sorts but it was on the boundary line at West Coast Eagles training alongside football boss John Worsfold. His sin was to meet another AFL coach to talk about his future.

The speed dating of prospective recruits by Sam Mitchell and his wife, Lyndall, has become a hot topic in football.

West Coast Eagles co-captain Oscar Allen. Picture: Supplied

Unfortunately for Allen, he has found himself in the middle of it after the Hawthorn coach and his secret weapon made a hit-run visit to Perth on the weekend to sell the Hawthorn dream.

The dynamic duo have their confidence up after last year’s full-court press snared them another Eagle, fullback Tom Barrass, and St Kilda defender Josh Battle.

Their methods and brazenness is dividing the football world. The traditionalists are throwing the toys out of the cot.

“Rude and arrogant,” was how one club official described it before adding: “How has it helped Oscar? They’ve made his job impossible.”

The biggest issue for many was the fact the sit-down happened so early in the season, before Round 4, with the Allen’s side floundering under a new coach.

Players and clubs catching up for chats isn’t a new thing and it has become virtually impossible to catch up for a coffee without being spotted in this age of camera phones everywhere.

But Mitchell bringing his wife along as part of the sell is being hailed as a genius move.

“I think Sam using Lyndall is really clever because this generation, they want to feel cared about and why wouldn’t get her involved if she is helping a young mum deal with (AFL life),” a leading player agent said.

“The world has changed, the partners have become important.”

Another described the Mitchell move as “clever”.

There have been calls for Allen to give up the Eagles’ captaincy. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“What they have done which is really clever is they’re giving the players all of the best chance to be happy,” he said.

“Having the partner being able to be involved at their own level, if the partner wants to be involved they can be, versus shutting them out because it’s only about elite performance.

“You can see at Hawthorn how what they are doing is very much aligned with what we are seeing on the field.”

Allen’s higher purpose on Thursday was all about forgiveness: “I just felt quite embarrassed and ashamed.”

While he retained the co-captaincy, the 26-year-old stopped short of signing on the dotted line with the Eagles instead indicating his preference was to stay.

He had to say that and that will be his line … until the Mitchells come calling again.

Originally published as Football’s recruiting speed dating: Why traditionalists are up in arms over Hawthorn’s Allen hunt